KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Torkham border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan reopened Tuesday for Afghan refugees returning from Pakistan, Taliban authorities said, marking the latest partial easing of restrictions amid ongoing conflict between the Taliban and Pakistan.
Quraishi Badaloon, head of the Taliban’s Information and Culture Department in Nangarhar province, said the crossing is open exclusively for returning Afghan refugees. Trade, commercial traffic, and general passenger travel remain suspended.
Pakistani officials have not commented on the reopening.
The crossing had briefly opened last week for refugee returns but was soon closed again by the Pakistani side for reasons that remain unclear.
Torkham, one of the busiest and most strategically important transit points along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, has been largely shut for more than four months following clashes and rising security tensions. The closure has disrupted trade and movement between the two countries.
The partial reopening coincides with a tribal peace jirga scheduled for Tuesday in Peshawar, the capital of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Political leaders, tribal elders, and religious figures from both sides are expected to meet to reduce tensions and promote dialogue. Geo News reported that the jirga will focus on trust-building and negotiations for lasting peace, issuing a joint declaration to both governments.
Despite a relative lull in violence, tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan persist. Cross-border incidents, including exchanges of fire, have continued intermittently. Pakistan accuses the Taliban of sheltering members of the Pakistani Taliban (TTP) and other militants responsible for attacks inside Pakistan. UN figures show at least 289 civilians were killed or injured in Pakistani airstrikes across several Afghan provinces since late February.
A full reopening of Torkham and other border crossings for trade and unrestricted travel remains uncertain, with Pakistani officials linking broader normalization to improved security and reduced militant activity.
